HOUR OF 13's as-yet-untitled new album was recorded at Epiphonic Studios in Lenoir, North Carolina, and is due to be released in 2012 on Earache Records.

HOUR OF 13's most recent album, THE RITUALIST, was recently remastered and is available now worldwide on CD and limited edition coloured vinyl LP. Get the album now in North America at http://bit.ly/sEDlz3 or in Europe at http://bit.ly/ftvV12

Californian blues-rockers RIVAL SONS have confirmed a new US tour with gothic rockers EVANESCENCE, which is scheduled to kick off on January 13th in Clemson, South Carolina.

RIVAL SONS already joined EVANESCENCE on a North American tour in October this year, before they headed to Europe for a hugely successful headlining tour. The two bands will team up again for the week-long trek in January, which also features ELECTRIC TOUCH.

RIVAL SONS drummer MICHAEL MILEY comments:

"We could not be more stoked to be back out with Evanescence in January. They truly are a fantastic band. The last tour with them proved pretty damn successful, not to mention making some dear friends. They're our new BFFs! I hope the fans are ready for some more face-melting!"

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

British thrashers EVILE are due to headline a night of metal mayhem on February 11th, 2012, during HMV's third annual Next Big Thing music festival tour.

HMV's Next Big Thing tour takes place at nine venues across the UK and celebrates the very best in new and emerging talent, drawn from all genres of music, with performances from bands and artists who are tipped to make it big in the coming year.

EVILE are set to perform at the HMV Ritz in Manchester, UK on February 11th, 2012. Joining them will be CEREBRAL BORE, SAVAGE MESSIAH and WOODS OF YPRES.

EVILE drummer BEN CARTER comments:

"Evile are pleased to announce we will be returning to Manchester to headline HMV's Next Big Thing on Saturday, February the 11th, 2012! The gig will be at the HMV Ritz, and we'll be playing alongside such great bands (and labelmates) as Cerebral Bore, Savage Messiah and Woods of Ypres. Tickets are in short supply and will no doubt sell out fast due to the nature of the event, so buy now to avoid disappointment! It will be a great night of mayhem and metal, so see you all there for beers!"

Thursday, December 08, 2011

Modern UK metallers THE SOULLESS (formerly IGNOMINIOUS INCARCERATION) are due to kick off a UK tour tonight at The Croft in Bristol.

The band will be joining British metalcore act BURY TOMORROW for the shows, which will be THE SOULLESS' last of the year.

THE SOULLESS frontman ANDY WARDLE comments:

"We are really excited to get back on the road again this winter. We had an amazing time on the last tour and have been gagging to keep playing our new songs from 'Isolated', which we recorded this time one year ago. We are looking forward to meeting the guys in Bury Tomorrow and I'm sure it's gonna be a blast!"

Californian blues-rockers RIVAL SONS are due to play a secret acoustic gig today, Thursday, 8th December at St. Pancras International in London, UK as part of the Station Sessions Secret Season in support of housing and homeless charity, Shelter.

The band, who have just wrapped up a hugely successful European headlining tour, will be performing during rush hour at 6:30pm in the station's busy Arcade, in front of the giant LEGO tree. Supporting RIVAL SONS will be London-based singer-songwriter, IMAN. The event is free of charge, but donations will be encouraged, with all proceeds going to Shelter.

The secret show is due to take place right before RIVAL SONS perform a special end-of-tour show at Nambucca in London for their UK fans. Tickets for the show cost just £10 in advance and are available now, while supplies last, at http://bit.ly/uu0eMm

RIVAL SONS frontman JAY BUCHANAN comments:

"This was our second time touring Europe and also our first headlining tour here and 95% of it sold out. It was such a pleasure to meet the audience every night after the show; thank you Europe.

"We started the tour with crazed UK audiences and after spanking the rest of Europe so nicely it seemed proper to book-end this saga by giving London another romp before she puts on that holiday weight. We also just added a slew of UK shows in March with Black Stone Cherry, so we'll see you soon."

Wednesday, December 07, 2011

Californian blues-rockers RIVAL SONS have had a busy year, with the release of their critically-acclaimed new album, PRESSURE & TIME, and huge tours that have taken the band around the world.

Having just wrapped up their first ever European headlining tour, RIVAL SONS will be celebrating with their UK fans with a special end-of-tour show, which takes place tomorrow, Thursday, 8th December at Nambucca in London.

The doors open at 7pm and the show is open to all ages (under-14s must be accompanied by an adult). Tickets cost just £10 in advance and are likely to sell out quickly, so fans should reserve theirs now while they're still available.

SAVAGE MESSIAH recorded PLAGUE OF CONSCIENCE at Grindstone Studios in Suffolk, UK with producer SCOTT ATKINS. The album is due to be released on CD and vinyl LP on February 6th, 2012.

The full PLAGUE OF CONSCIENCE track listing is as follows:

01. Plague Of Conscience 02. Six Feet Under The Gun 03. Carnival Of Souls 04. In Thought Alone 05. All Seeing I 06. Beyond A Shadow Of A Doubt 07. Architects Of Fear 08. The Accuser 09. Shadowbound 10. The Mask Of Anarchy

Tuesday, December 06, 2011

Irish thrashers GAMA BOMB are due to kick off their first ever tour of Brazil tonight, Tuesday, December 6th, in Santa Maria.

Following a recent headlining European tour, GAMA BOMB will be joining Swedish black metal group DARK FUNERAL and U.S. crossover thrashers THE ACCÜSED for the week-long Brazilian trek. The shows will be the last that GAMA BOMB will play in 2011, before taking a break for the holidays and working on their next album.

Irish thrashers GAMA BOMB are due to kick off their first ever tour of Brazil tonight, Tuesday, December 6th, in Santa Maria.

Following a recent headlining European tour, GAMA BOMB will be joining Swedish black metal group DARK FUNERAL and U.S. crossover thrashers THE ACCÜSED for the week-long Brazilian trek. The shows will be the last that GAMA BOMB will play in 2011, before taking a break for the holidays and working on their next album.

Monday, December 05, 2011

Earache Records is pleased to announce its very own evening of metal mayhem at HMV's third annual Next Big Thing music festival tour in 2012.

HMV's Next Big Thing showcases and celebrates the very best in new and emerging talent, drawn from all genres across the music spectrum, who are tipped to make it big in the coming year. This year's event saw 140 breakthrough artists performing live, including fast-rising blues-rockers RIVAL SONS, who returned to the UK later in the year for a completely sold out headlining tour.

The third HMV Next Big Thing festival will run over 11 days between 2nd and 12th February, 2012, at nine venues across the UK, including for the first time ever, Manchester's HMV Ritz, where Earache Records will be presenting a night of live music from some of the best new and breakthrough metal bands around.

The Earache Records HMV Next Big Thing event takes place on Saturday, 11th February, with performances from EVILE, CEREBRAL BORE, SAVAGE MESSIAH and WOODS OF YPRES.

The event will be WOODS OF YPRES' first ever UK show and takes place just two days before the release of the band's highly-anticipated new album, WOODS 5: GREY SKIES & ELECTRIC LIGHT, on 13th February.

SAVAGE MESSIAH's new album, PLAGUE OF CONSCIENCE, is due to be released on CD and LP less than a week before the show, on 6th February. The album is available to download now in its entirety for free at http://www.earache.com/savagemessiah

Thursday, December 01, 2011

Scottish death metallers CEREBRAL BORE are due to kick off a mini UK tour tonight, Thursday, December 1st, at The Borough in Sunderland.

The four-date mini tour marks the last shows that CEREBRAL BORE will play this year, before returning in full force in 2012. Joining CEREBRAL BORE on the road are SCORDATURA and LACERATION.

CEREBRAL BORE guitarist PAUL MCGUIRE comments:

"This is our last tour of 2011 and it's great to do it alongside a couple of up-and-coming Scottish bands. It's usually pretty hellish touring at this time of year in a shit van, sleeping on floors and dealing with the freezing wet weather. But we will bring the metal regardless, and hopefully the other bands will supply some good local banter and keep the spirits up."

The official CEREBRAL BORE app is available now for free on iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch. The app includes the entire MANIACAL MISCREATION album to listen to, as well as the latest band news, photos, videos, tour dates and more.